Evidence standard: This article distinguishes public records, company claims and editorial assessment. Information may change after publication.
Regulation is not a simple yes-or-no label
A regulator can be legitimate while offering a different level of retail protection from another jurisdiction. The quality of a broker check therefore depends on more than confirming that a licence exists. It should also examine the licence permissions, client classification, conduct rules, financial-resource requirements, complaint process and available compensation arrangements.
| Dimension | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Entity and licence | Is the exact contracting company authorised? |
| Retail restrictions | Are leverage, promotions and product access limited? |
| Client money | What segregation and reporting rules apply? |
| Redress | Is there an ombudsman or accessible complaint channel? |
| Compensation | Is the client eligible and what limits apply? |
| Enforcement | Are public decisions and warnings easy to locate? |
How to interpret offshore licences
An offshore licence can establish a legal and supervisory framework, but users should not assume that it provides the same leverage restrictions, compensation access or cross-border enforcement options as a major onshore jurisdiction. Treat the licence as one part of a wider evidence review and verify where client funds are held and how complaints are handled.
Compare protections at legal-entity level. A group may contain both strongly supervised and offshore-regulated companies.
Sources and verification links
Sources were available to the editorial team on the recorded check date. External records may change.
FCA official websiteofficial · verified · checked Jul 19, 2026FSC Mauritius register of licenseesofficial · verified · checked Jul 19, 2026Seychelles FSA official websiteofficial · verified · checked Jul 19, 2026